After arriving in San Pedro Town, international Broadway star Sean McDermott, along with Eve Dirnback of the Sunshine Scholarship Foundation, paid a visit to Isla Bonita Elementary School (IBES) on Monday, February 13th. Since the Foundation’s upcoming fundraiser benefits IBES, and stars McDermott, Dirnback led a tour around the school, and introduced McDermott to Principal Ady Martinez, along with their administrators.
McDermott was warmly welcomed by the school’s drumline, who showcased their talent and skills, to the delight of McDermott. He said he is looking forward for the drummers to open up his show on Wednesday, February 22nd at The Palapa Bar and Grill.
Originally from Denver, Colorado, USA, McDermott is more than excited to lend a helping hand wherever it’s needed. “I’ve been coming to San Pedro Town since I was a kid. My father (the late Corry McDermott) and uncle (Jerry McDermott, deceased) lived here, and I would always come down. I’ve been a singer since I was 13, and my dad would make me sing. My father was very big in the community and helped as much as he could. My first concert raised money for a clinic. And that’s when it all started. I told myself why not sing and fundraise for a good cause. I’ve done concerts to build buildings, roads, and whatever is needed. The Foundation reached out to me, and I was honored to be a part of this,” said McDermott.
The Sunshine Scholarship Foundation is an incorporated entity in Belize, providing scholarships to underprivileged San Pedro children. There are currently over 20 children who need scholarships in order to attend school, and the goal of the concert is to raise $25,000 or more to provide for students with special needs.
McDermott explained the necessity to focus on special needs. “Special needs kids don’t do as well in public schools. It is important for these kids to get a quality education so they could be productive citizen in the future and do good things for the island. I am dyslexic and my teachers didn’t know what that was when I was in fourth grade. I struggled to read, and it’s still a challenge for me, but I applied myself and pushed through it. And that is why this initiative is so close to my heart because I didn’t have much options in my school years. I love that I can help students in need,” said McDermott.
He promises the guests a great 90-minute show for $50BZ. With an island-feel cabaret setting, he will be singing, dancing, and performing to entertain the crowd, starting at 7PM. His love for music and theatre even allowed him to tour with Barbra Streisand in 2007! He has been featured in several television dramas like Desperate Housewives, Medium, and Charmed. He plans to do a tribute to his late father, Corry, and sing songs inspired by Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé, Frankie Valli, and Jersey Boys in his honor.
Principal Martinez thanks Dirnback and McDermott for their willingness to help. “We are a private school, and the most children we have in our classrooms are 12. The Sunshine Scholarship Foundation has benefitted us a lot. I met Dirnback years ago when a parent needed a scholarship for their child to attend school. She came back, and started to fundraise for that child. Back in 2015, the Foundation even sponsored 10 children. All of them graduated, and most of them have gone on to high school, and have been on honor roll. We have to thank her and Sean McDermott for their help,” said Martinez.
The Foundation is also encouraging the community or business partners to sponsor the worthy event. As a gold ($1,000 contribution) sponsor, you will receive six free tickets to the concert, company recognition on all media and advertisements, and VIP access. A silver ($500 contribution) sponsor will receive four free tickets, and VIP access, while a bronze ($250 contribution) sponsor will receive two free tickets, and have VIP access.
With 300 tickets available, you can help make a difference in a child’s education by purchasing a ticket at Flowers Salazar and Associates on Pescador Drive or at Palapa Bar and Grill. All students must be academically inclined, maintain a B average, and parents must be involved in the child’s performance at their respective school. For any further information on how you can donate, please contact Joy Flowers at 226-3725 email [email protected] or Eve Dirnback at email [email protected].
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